Police hunting missing woman find a body on open land

Police searching for a woman who disappeared while walking her dog discovered a body yesterday.

Mountain rescue teams had been called in to help with the hunt for Kelly Hyde, 24, who was last seen with her black and tan whippet, Scrappy, near her home in Ammanford, Carmarthenshire.

The dog was found in a garden about 500 metres away the following day by a member of the public. Dyfed Powys police said earlier that she was devoted to the animal, making her disappearance, which was out of character, all the more worrying.

Yesterday a spokeswoman for the force said that the 30-strong search team, which included a helicopter and specially trained dogs, had found a body on open land at around 11.20am.

"Positive ID has not yet been completed," she said. "Forensic examinations are ongoing at the scene. No further information is being released at the moment."

Ms Hyde, described by her family as a friendly, bubbly girl, was seen at around 9am on Thursday leaving a garage in Tycroes, wearing a black puffa jacket with a fur collar hood and heading towards Ammanford through the old coal washeries area.

Before the body was found her mother, Barbara, who had not seen her daughter for about a week-and-a-half, said that she did not suspect foul play but was desperately worried.

"When I last saw her she was very happy," she told Wales on Sunday. "Everything seemed to be fine. She was not depressed or unhappy."

She added: "It is just so out of character. If she was going to change her plans in any way she would always let someone know."

Mrs Hyde said that her daughter had trained as a hairdresser but had been working in a pub in Llanelli.

The dog was found without its lead, suggesting Ms Hyde had let it run free while they were walking in the open country.

Police had asked anyone who might have seen Ms Hyde on the busy main road early on Thursday, or at any time after that, to get in touch.

Ms Hyde, who had been living with two friends, grew up in Cwmgwili and moved to Pantyffynon six months ago.

Her parents said that they first heard the news that she was missing when they were on their way home from a holiday in Crete.

Chief Inspector Ian John said that Scrappy did not seem to be distressed or injured in any way.